A first attempt to revive dried-up Lake Koroneia, east of Thessaloniki, by channeling 22 million cubic meters of water from nearby Lake Volvi was heralded yesterday.

Last month, scientists announced that Koroneia, once a key habitat for wildlife that included rare birds, had dried up after years of pollution and over-irrigation, leaving just sludge behind, as efforts to save it stalled repeatedly.

Prefect Panayiotis Psomiadis revealed yesterday that work would soon begin to dig a channel between the two lakes to allow water back in to the parched Koroneia. Scientists however have pointed out that diverting water to the lake will not be enough and that some 2,000 local farmers will have to refrain from drawing water from the lake.

Psomiadis hopes that Koroneia will begin to return to normal starting in 2013, although scientists say that signs of recovery will not be seen until 2016 at the earliest, and provided there is normal rainfall in the meantime.